This month Catwoman is using up another of her nine lives in a decidedly more pursuit than we’ve yet seen: stealing radioactive black-glass corium from the heart of a melted-down nuclear plant in Markovia! So far I’ve been enjoying this arc and this issue is no different. In fact, this is the best story yet! So, let’s get into it.
Last issue, I complained about Howard’s poor understanding of Sodium Pentathol. This month, we’re getting into nuclear reactors and radiation, so, the amount of research that could be done to fully understand this topic is far more extensive and frankly beyond what I’m willing to do to in terms of fact-checking. Regardless, I don’t care how accurate this story is because it’s written well enough that I was easily able to buy into what takes place. When Selina survived a supposedly lethal dosage because the needle missed the vein, I immediately needed answers and my questions were simple enough that Google would suffice. Here, perhaps because the issue is more engaging, my questions pulled me from the story. I’m willing to accept some doubt about how these things work because I want to enjoy the story as is.
There’s a lot here that is very well done. In the opening leg of Catwoman’s quest, after being introduced to her objective via some quick narration, we get right into the action with a mutant wolf attack. It’s a nice action scene on its most basic level but beyond that, it’s a great setup for the rest of the story. Everything we need to know about Selina is here. We see her ingenuity as she escapes from the wolves, we see her compassionate side through her thoughts and we understand her headspace regarding her extra lives and what she wants to do with them. Additionally, the wolves serve as an effective foreshadowing of the danger Catwoman is walking into both radioactive and human. Driving it all home, Raffaele draws some suitably gruesome mutant wolves and a dynamic action scene to boot.
Catwoman calls this mission a challenge; “the unstealable score.” She doesn’t need the corium but this is her only chance at pulling off the heist. In the end, this does become another example of curiosity killing the cat. What makes it rather poetic, however, is her regret in the end. She knew, as evidenced by the wolves, that she would die but foolishly failed to realize how painful it would be. The lives that she thinks are a license to do as she pleases turn out to not be quite so freeing, especially when she nearly dies close enough to the core that rebirth would have become impossible. Raffaele doesn’t pull any punches in depicting Catwoman’s folly either, as we very viscerally watch her slowly dying right before us on the page. To me, this issue makes strong statements about who Catwoman is, what drives her and what the negative sides of her personality are and it’s so effective because we are offered a rare chance to push these things to their limits by the premise this arc. If Howard is wise, this will be a turning point in the arc that will change how Selina uses her lives going forward or at least create some internal turmoil but, in any case, I think this issue will stick with me, especially as it is depicted artistically.
I will say, it’s not a perfect comic. The first five pages focus partially on Eiko Hasigawa as Catwoman in Gotham and though they are fine and serve to introduce Selina’s loneliness that comes back near the end, these pages still feel unnecessary. I don’t think Eiko needs to be brought into this narrative because her inclusion mostly just reduces the space to develop Selina. Eiko also hasn’t featured much in recent issues so I’m not invested in what she’s doing. Perhaps, Howard is setting the stage for Selina’s return to Gotham at the end of this arc but if so, there are better ways to do it.
Recommended if…
- You’re looking for a Catwoman story that doesn’t pull its punches and explores the darker side of Selina’s gift
- If the last two issues were up your alley, this one will be too
- You’re down for a wholesome Superman appearance
Overall
This is easily the best comic I’ve read from Tini Howard’s pen. It has a bit more to say about the character than I’ve come to expect and makes excellent use of this arc’s concept. Small issues aside, I will happily recommend this comic. Going forward, all I can say is, I hope Howard keeps it up! This may be Stefano Raffaele’s final issue on this title but that doesn’t have to mean the stories have to suffer. I have high hopes for the rest of this arc!
Score: 9/10
DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purposes of this review
